Opportunity
by KAthetomboy
Summary: Part 7 of the COTR series. The second of Tim's in the series! And, incase you haven't realized, all of the stories in the series have torture (which is sort of the point) Miminfifi named this story for me.
1. Chapter 1

_Miminfifi helped quite a lot with this story (as she does with most) and it's 6 in the COTR series, if I remember correctly._

 **CHAPTER 1:**

 **~Earlier that night~**

"What the hell do you mean, you _lost_ it!?" Black Mask screamed through the phone "How could you _lose_ an _entire_ shipment to just _one kid!?_ He's a child and you're an idiot!" He continued "Find the damn brat and bring him to me, got it? Or he won't be the only one dead!" He angrily slammed the phone down "This could be a great oppprtunity to complete that offer" He muttered to himself "But not without punishing the kid first first"

~Currently~

As another one of the untrained thugs threw another punch, Robin evaded masterfully, using his boa staff to knock him out. "You should've learnt by now" Another thug dropped to the floor, after Tim punched him out "I'm just too good for you" He stared at all the unconscious men laying about on the ground.

"But not for me" A deep, familiar voice called out.

Tim spun around to face the speaker " _Slade_ , how's the whole _apprentice_ thing going for you?"

"I'm doing just fine on my own" Deathstroke growled in response.

"Clearly not helping your anger issues much" Robin muttered, only just loud enough for Slade to hear.

"If you think _I_ have anger issues, you're in for a surprise" He smiled under the mask "You'll wish that I _was_ the one that had you"

"If you can even capture me" Tim challenged.

 _'Children, always so obnoxious. I got enough disrespect from the previous two Robins'_ Slade thought in annoyance and followed the agile boy.

After a lengthy chase through the docks, Deathstroke lost his patient and pulled his gun out. Robin jumped off a red crate and Slade fired two shots from atop a Queen Industries container. The first in the leg to incapacitate him, the second reaching it's mark in his shoulder to teach the irritating boy a lesson.

Slade slowly made his way to Tim who was still trying to limp away "Caught you" He said mockingly, grabbed Tim's cape and pulled him to the ground, kicked him in the head and started driving to his employer.

XxxxxX

Deathstroke dragged an angry Robin into the Sionis Steel Mill.

"Now stay here, like a good little bird" Slade instructed, in a taunting tone.

Tim only made a small growl as he watched the cruel mercenary walk off _'Jerk'_ Was the only _suitable_ word he could think of to describe Deathstroke. He heard the faintest sound of clicking, which grew louder with each passing second. He subconciously pushed himself up against a wall, fearing the worst and tried to unknot his bonds.

A dark chuckle resonated through the room "How did a little runt like you manage to take out almost _all_ of my best guys _and_ stop a whole _shipment_ of goods from getting to me?"

"You underestimate me" Robin spoke, his genuine offence showing.

"Not so much that I didn't manage to get you"

"Actually, Deathstroke did that, not you"

"But I knew to hire him for the job" Black Mask defended, his cruel eyes locking with Tim's hidden ones.

"Ok, yeah, you've got a point there"

The clicking noise resumed. It was from a lighter.

 _'Oh crap'_ Was the only coherent thought running through Tim's head.

As it got closer and closer to him, he could feel the heat of the flames that were so eager to hurt him. He let out a small whimper as it reached his face.

"Don't like fire, eh?" Black Mask taunted as he lit a small piece of his hair on fire, leaving it burning for a short while before putting it out.

"I can already tell I don't like you" Tim replied defiantly.

"Same here, kid"

He flicked the lighter back on and put it up against Robin's cheek causing a burn mark to slowly appear. Tim's eyes started to water at the extreme heat and he wondered how much longer it would last.

"I thought you were the I'll-gut-you kind of guy"

"I am, unless you _destroy_ an _entire_ boat load of weapons, then I'll have my fun"

' _Wonder when Bruce will notice I'm gone, if only I could reach the distress button'_

Tim sat there quietly, waiting for Black Mask to lose his awfully short patience and pull the lighter away, but he had no such luck. The flame kept burning him until a tear unwillingly slipped beneath the mask, cooling the scorch mark, somewhat, while Roman laughed and the heat died down.

"How many tears are hiding behind that mask of yours?" He wondered aloud.

"What's it to you?"

"Just a question of interest"

"One you won't get an answer to"

"Oh really?" He lifted the flame up beside the curve of the mask.

It was _way_ too close for Tim's liking and all he could think about was how much longer he would have to endure.

XxxxxX

Bruce was down in the batcave, waiting for Tim to return. He should've been back twenty minutes ago. He was very rarely late and definitely never _this_ late. Bruce quickly activated his comm.

"Robin?"

No response.

"Robin, are you there?" The worry began to rise, when, again, there was no response.

He shut the communicator off, knowing it was no use and used the signal from Tim's belt to track him.

"Sionis Steel Mill?" Bruce whispered to himself "But that means" His eyes went wide "Black Mask has him"

He quickly changed into his night outfit and pulled the cowl up, eyes narrowed in anger, with a hint of worry behind the lenses.

"Hold on Tim, I won't let you down" He promised as he started the batmobile's engine up.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2:**

Black Mask had swapped the lighter for a match, so the flame was easier to move about.

Tim let out another whimper when the intense heat travelled along his arm, leaving a large burn mark.

"Aww, is the heat getting to you?" Roman faked concern.

"It was just _one_ shipment, you probably have tons!" Robin yelled out in defiance, a few more tears escaping.

He mentally sighed _'Really? Why can't you just stay inside my eyes? What is the point of tears anyway?'_ Tim silently questioned.

"True, but I was really looking forward to that one. I've been waiting for almost a year and then you come along and destroy it, so I'm sure you can understand why I'm angry" The flame was put even closer.

Tim hissed and tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go to. It kept slowly creeping closer, dancing along the little bit of wood, until the whole flame was against his skin. A cry escaped him. Black Mask smiled and managed to get the flame even further in.

"Please! Stop it!" Tim cried out, losing all control of his tears.

Roman's smile only grew at the boy's desperate pleas and used another match to make it even more painful.

Tim bit down on his tongue in an attempt to stop himself from screaming. The more heat that was added, the harder he bit down and the more blood he could taste. Another flame was brought up and Tim couldn't keep it in anymore. He screamed. The flames continued to tear at his flesh.

" _Please_ " He barely managed to choke out through the extreme pain and tears.

" _No_ "

Another scream pushed it's way through Tim's mouth.

He sobbed and whimpered as Black Mask continued to add more matches, still only focusing on his right arm. He no longer had the ability to plead, his tears and screams prevented any normal speech. The flames were suddenly pulled away, like Roman just had a great idea.

Tim watched, eyes wide with fear, following the eleven matches all with dancing flames. They travelled down to and against the bullet wound in his leg. The pain was so intense, especially with the metal heating up inside, that Tim's next scream even made Black Mask wince. He backed up against the wall, trying to move but getting nowhere. The tears gushed down like little waterfalls, until all the pain disappeared. Along with everything else.

XxxxxX

Batman walked into the smelting chambers just in time to hear the blood-curdling scream of his partner. He ran over to the rail and looked down to see Black Mask holding fire up against Tim's leg. He made an animalistic growl and jumped down, kicking Roman away from his boy.

Black Mask looked up, terrified. He was supposed to kill the kid and get away before Batman could ever find him. He looked over to the child and smirked. He may not have been able to complete the offer, but he got to have his fun and that was all he really cared about.

Batman's well placed punch had Roman out cold. He took in a deep, shaky breath before hurrying over to his bird.

"Tim?" He cupped the boy's face.

He seemed to lean into the touch, despite being unconcious. Bruce sent a glare to Black Mask before leaving, with Robin cradled in his arms. The heat from his inflictions starting to burn Bruce.

"It'll be alright" He spoke softly, holding Tim tighter.


	3. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE:**

"We never should have trusted you to kill Robin, it was an idiotic decision" The blurred figure on the screen said "The clown did better than you"

Black Mask looked up in pure fury "That was _two_ years ago! I almost had him! He looked pretty dead to me!"

The figure growled "But he _is_ still alive, _Sionis_ " but kept it's calm tone.

Roman turned to leave and walked straight into the unmasked figure of Deathstroke " _Move_ "

"No" Slade responded looking at the silhouette of his employer. The person seemed to nod their head in approval "You won't be leaving yet"

"And _why_ not!?"

Deathstroke didn't respond with his mouth, instead he pulled a dagger from his belt and thrust it deep into Sionis's torso. His eyes immediately went wide and blood started pouring from his wound.

" _This_ is why" Slade explained as he pulled the dagger out and watched as Black Mask fell to the floor, writhing in pain as a small pool of blood grew around him.

" _This_ is what happens to failures, Sionis, be glad we spared your life, fail again and it will become worse"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

 _In all honesty, this is one of my favourite of my own stories. Just felt like saying that._

Epilogue mostly written by Miminififi


End file.
